While CT has positively impacted clinical diagnosis, incidental findings have become an unforeseen side effect. Renal masses, benign or otherwise, are among the most common of these findings, and the risk of nephrectomy is closely associated with incidental detection of these masses. Recent research examined how living in an area with high rates of CT affects nephrectomy risk.

Every radiologist seeks to excel in one’s professional duties, from lesion analysis to recommendations for further evaluation. But for radiologists to govern themselves, they must step back and see the larger contexts in which they work.

Incidental findings often take patients by surprise—causing anxiety, raising questions of severity and leading to uninformed decision-making. When it comes to incidental renal lesions, researchers found communicating risks with numerical graphics may provide patients with a better understanding of options.

While CT has positively impacted clinical diagnosis, incidental findings have become an unforeseen side effect. Renal masses, benign or otherwise, are among the most common of these findings, and the risk of nephrectomy is closely associated with incidental detection of these masses. Recent research examined how living in an area with high rates of CT affects nephrectomy risk.

Every radiologist seeks to excel in one’s professional duties, from lesion analysis to recommendations for further evaluation. But for radiologists to govern themselves, they must step back and see the larger contexts in which they work.

Incidental findings often take patients by surprise—causing anxiety, raising questions of severity and leading to uninformed decision-making. When it comes to incidental renal lesions, researchers found communicating risks with numerical graphics may provide patients with a better understanding of options.

While patients who demonstrate an incidental splenic mass during CT scans may not also indicate the appearance of a simple cyst, researchers determined additional imaging is not warranted, and further work-up only required depending on a patient’s medical history.

Many radiology departments aspire to transition from peer review to peer learning as studies find the latter promotes a constructive, rather than punitive learning model. An article published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology highlights a radiology department that made the transition, finding the new model promotes the right to learn from mistakes.